Nine Months
by Dragonfly Hellwege
Summary: Brian and Justin have been dating long distance when they learn they are to become parents. [Mpreg] [We do not own QAF]
1. Chapter 1

"Are you sure about this?"

Justin frowned, running a hand through his shaggy blond hair. He really needed a haircut. Sitting cross legged in the middle of his bed he looked up and at the back of his boyfriend's head as the older man sat at the end of the bed, his shoulders slumped. He knew the news was going to cause them problems but Justin hoped they would get through them together.

He huffed in frustration. "I took four damn tests this week. They all said the same thing but I have a doctor's appointment in two days to confirm what they already say."

The beunet in front of him nodded, his eyes still looking down at the positive pregnancy test clutched in his right hand. With a sigh Brian sat up straight and turned his body on the bed so he could look at his blond. Their eyes met and Brian felt guilty for questioning the younger man.

They had been together just eleven months now. It was a long distance and secret relationship. The only people who knew about them was Justin's roommate and best friend Daphne, and Brian's assistant Cynthia.

Justin had been born and raised in Pittsburgh, graduating from high school at just fifteen years old. He attended and graduated from PIFA (Pittsburgh Institution of Fine Arts) at age nineteen. Soon after he moved to New York where Daphne had been living and attending college for a year already. A year later Justin had met Brian.

Brian however lived in Pittsburgh his whole life and after graduating from Pitt University he began working for Ryder Advertising. After five years with the company Brian had been promoted to advertising executive. With the promotion he gained a nice pay raise, nice corner office, and an assistant that didn't taken his bullshit and gave as good as him when it came to getting things done. If he wasn't gay Brian was sure he would marry his assistant (if he also believed in marriage). As it was he didn't and of course Cynthia was the wrong gender for him.

A month after his promotion Marty Ryder had sent Brian on a two week expedition to New York to gain them more clients. Three days in Brian had met Justin. What had started out as a one night stand of dancing, drugs, and sex, turned into them spending the whole second week Brian was there together. When it was time for him to return to Pittsburgh Brian broke another one of his own rules - he gave his number to the young blond.

They spoke nightly. Living in different states they got to know each other like friends - and of course there was lots of phone sex. When Brian came back to New York two months later he didn't even bother to stay in a hotel but with Justin (and Daphne). From that point forward Brian took weekend trips to New York twice monthly for both work and pleasure.

"I know you've said you don't want to be a father, that's why you keep denying Lindsay's request to be her's and Mel's sperm donor." Justin started as he turned his gaze on his lap, afraid to even look at Brian. "I'm not expecting you to suddenly play house to raise a kid. Hell we don't even live in the same state and I couldn't ask you to move here. Your life is in Pittsburgh, but I would never keep you from your own child. If you want to be in his or her life we'll figure it out, however we need too."

"Are you done?"

Justin shrugged, still not looking up.

"Will you look at me now."

He hesitated but slowly raised his head, his gaze falling on the brunets. Brian ducked his head slightly to get a better look at the blue eyes he fell in love with a year ago (he had yet to actually say those words though because that wasn't who he was), and he smirked.

"I said I didn't want to be a father the way Lindsay and Mel expect me too. They want me to be the sperm donor and have no say in how my own kid is raised. My parental rights would be terminated for Melanie to adopt the kid." Brian sighed and ran his free hand over his face. "You know what my childhood was like. I never thought I would be a father. Not with my own example for a father or with my lifestyle, doesn't mean I've never thought about it before."

Justin gave a sad smiled. "So..."

"Looks like we're going to be parents." Brian looked back down at the stick in his hand. "I'm not going to lie and say I won't fuck this up."

"You won't be alone if you do."

Brian nodded, rolling his lips into his mouth before he tossed the pregnancy test away and turned to crawl up the bed, pushing Justin back against the bed and straddling the younger man's thighs. Justin laid his head on the pillow and just watched as Brian gently placed a hand over his stomach, pushing his t-shirt up and out of the way before returning his hand back to Justin's stomach. He splayed his fingers out over the blond's skin and just left his hand there.

"How far along do you think you are?"

Justin shrugged. "A couple of weeks maybe? We'll probably find out for sure at the doctor's appointment."

Brian nodded, his eyes never leaving his hand on the blond's stomach. "We're not very observant that we didn't even notice a broken condom at some point."

"We were always careful but obviously shit happens."

Brian hummed, rolling his lips into his mouth again. "You can't drink or do drugs anymore."

"I know."

"Or coffee. I've read caffeine isn't good for babies."

"I know."

"We'll have to find you a better place. There isn't enough room here for two, let alone two and a baby."

"I can't afford a place on my own that's why I live with Daph."

Brian scoffed. "I'd help pay Justin. This is my responsibility too."

"Brian..."

"Like you said I can't exactly move my life to New York, at least not yet. So unless you suddenly pack up and move back to Pittsburgh with me we have to find you a better place in a safer neighborhood."

"You'd want me to move to Pittsburgh with you?"

Brian didn't say anything.

Justin placed his hand on top of Brian's. "Hey."

"I don't exactly want to have to travel back and forth for every doctor's appointment, and I plan on being at every single one with you." Brian shrugged, "And once the baby is here I don't just want to be one of those father's that drops by once or twice a month to see the damn kid but I was just promoted last year, I'm working towards partner in the firm now. The only option is for you to move back with me."

"So this is you being logical and not because you actually want me there." Justin pulled his hand away.

"No." Brian grabbed Justin's hand with his hand not on the blond's stomach. "No. I... fuck." Brian closed his eyes. "I want you to move to Pittsburgh with me. This long distance shit is getting old."

Justin snorted. "We'd be outing us to your friends."

"I know." Brian shrugged, "Most of them would be happy that I found someone that could break down my defenses."

"But not all."

Brian sighed. "Lindsay will be pissed because this definitely means I'm not helping them conceive a child. Mel will be happy, I know she doesn't actually want me to be the sperm donor."

"And Michael?"

"Mikey's Mikey." Brian sighed again as he finally moved off Justin and laid down next to the blond, tucking Justin into his side. "He should be happy because I'm happy, if not fuck him."

"You don't mean that. He's your best friend." Justin rolled onto his side and laid his head on Brian's shoulder as Brian wrapped his arms around the younger man. "I'll make him like me."

Brian laughed as he stared at the ceiling and pinched Justin's side, making the blond squeak. They soon settled down and just laid together in silence for a few moments before Brian frowned.

"You never actually answered me."

Just hummed as he closed his eyes. "You never actually asked me."

"Brat."

"Jerk."

"You're actually going to make me ask a question you already know?"

"You're actually going to make me answer a question you haven't asked?"

"Brat just answer the damn question."

Justin leaned up on his elbow and lifted his head, a huge smile on his face. "How am I suppose to tell Daphne that I'm abandoning her?"

"We'll think of something." Brian tugged Justin closer and kissed the blond before tucking him into his side again so they could get to sleep.

Brian had just gotten there for the weekend two hours ago when Justin had dropped the pregnancy bomb on him just moments after he had stepped through the apartment door. It was going to be a rocky road for the two of them as they worked through their Justin's pregnancy, and their lives after the baby was born, but Brian knew, he wanted to be there every step of the way. He was going to do what he needed to keep his blond safe and happy, and keep him and the baby in his life.


	2. Chapter 2

"Would you please stop fucking pacing?" Justin huffed in annoyance, "You're making me dizzy."

Brian rolled his eyes but stopped walking as he stood next to Justin. They had gone together to Justin's doctor's appointment, Brian staying an extra day in New York to be there with him, and they had been ushered into a room twenty minutes ago. Justin's blood had been drawn shortly after and now they were waiting for the test results to prove he was actually pregnant - as if the four home tests he had already taken throughout the week didn't tell them the news they already had.

"What the fuck is taking so long?"

"How the fuck should I know?" Justin frowned. "It's not like I've had to do this before."

"You've never had a pregnancy scare with the exes?"

"I haven't, no. Never had a condom break and I've always topped... until you."

Brian arched a brow and looked at the younger man. "What?"

Justin's cheeks flushed red when he realized just what he had revealed. "Um..."

"Out first night was your first time bottoming?" Brian smirked.

"Shup up."

"No. No. I like knowing I was your first."

Justin snorted but before he could open his mouth to reply there was a knock at the door and then the doctor was stepping inside with a clipboard in hand.

"Mr. Taylor, Mr. Kinney. Sorry for the long wait. Our lab is a little backed up at the moment but we were able to get your results." Dr. Rayburn smiled at the two men, "Congratulations are in order Mr. Taylor. You are pregnant."

"Fuck."

"Language Sunshine." Brian stuck his tongue in cheek as Justin glared at him.

Justin huffed and turned back to the doctor. "Sorry. I was just kind of hoping all those home tests were wrong."

Brian frowned at that statement but remained silent.

"It's understandable." The doctor nodded as she opened the chart in her hand to look through it a moment before snapping it closed and looking back at Justin with a smile. "And I am sure you'd like to know how far along you are?"

"Yes please." Justin nodded. "We're uh... not exactly sure when the um... condom broke."

The doctor nodded again. "Alright. Just follow me and we'll get an ultrasound. Not only will we be able to tell how far along you are but also officially introduce you to your baby."

"Great!" Justin hopped off the table and followed the doctor after grabbing Brian's hand to drag him along.

Brian rolled his eyes but didn't pull his hand away as he followed them down the hall and into another room. He finally let go of Justin's hand when the blond had to jump up onto the exam table once more and lay down. Brian stood off to his right, leaning against the wall as the doctor stood right at the table to his left and started up the ultrasound machine.

"Go ahead and pull your shirt up to your chest and pull your pants down to your hips."

Justin complied and soon the doctor was squirting the gel onto his abdomen.

"Fuck that's cold."

"It'll warm up." The doctor smiled as she took the wand and pressed it into Justin's stomach and began moving it around in the gel, watching the monitor as she did.

It was only a moment later when she stopped moving the wand and nodded.

"And here we are. That is your baby."

Justin looked at the monitor and gasped. The doctor started taking measurements on the monitor and pointing out different parts while Justin just stared. Brian found himself transfixed on the screen and before he realized that he was even moving, he was standing next to the table and had grasped Justin's hand. Justin squeezed Brian's hand without taking his own eyes off the monitor screen.

"Alright. Everything is looking great for this little one." The doctor smiled at the men. "And I would say you are about eleven weeks along."

"Eleven weeks?" Justin squeaked. "That's almost three months! How did I not know I was pregnant until now!?"

"Everyone is different. And although male pregnancies are becoming more and more common these days, it's still different then a female getting pregnant. Most studies have shown that many males don't start to show any signs until well into the third month. Morning sickness doesn't even start until the fourth."

Justin groaned and flopped his head back onto the pillow. "Get my hopes up that I was past the first trimester and would be able to skip all that shit."

Brian snorted. "No such luck for you Sunshine."

"Fuck you. You're the reason I'm in this mess in the first place."

"Okay boys, that's enough." Dr. Rayburn removed the wand from Justin's stomach and handed him some tissues before she went about cleaning the equipment.

Justin cleaned himself up before righting his clothes and sitting up.

"So I have one question."

"Shoot."

"Do I have to give up all coffee?"

Dr. Rayburn smiled as she printed images off the ultrasound machine and handed them over. Justin took them with a smile as he looked down at them.

"It would be prefered but one small cup a day would be fine."

"Oh thank God." Justin huffed and both the doctor and Brian laughed.

Brian followed Justin back into the apartment and closed the door behind him. Daphne looked up from her seat on the couch.

"Well?"

Justin flopped down next to her and handed off the images. Daphne took one look at them and squealed before pulling Justin into a hug.

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!" Daphne jumped off the couch and quickly hugged Brian, ignoring the fact that he didn't hug her back before she pulled away and sat back down next to Justin. "I'm going to be an aunt!"

Justin nodded. "There's something I need to talk to you about."

"You're moving."

"How did you...?" Justin looked at her best friend.

"I figured when you told me your suspicions last week that if it was true and you were pregnant you'd move out." Daphne shrugged, "My only question is are you staying in New York?"

"No." Justin replied as he stood up and headed for the small kitchen to grab a bottle of water.

Daphne frowned. "You're leaving me here all alone."

"You're not alone. You have Jesse." Justin pointed out as he returned to the living area with his water and one for Brian.

The brunet took his as he sat down in the chair across from the couch. Instead of returning to the couch Justin settled on Brian's lap, his back resting against Brian's chest. The brunet snaked his arm around the blond, his hand finding it's way under Justin's shirt to rest on his stomach.

"You two are too damn hot together. It's not fair."

"Life's not fair." Brian smirked.

"Whatever." Daphne rolled her eyes as she stood, placing the ultrasound images on the coffee table. "Have you called and told your parents the good news?"

Justin cringed. "Fuck no. I've barely spoken to them since dad kicked me out. He still hasn't excepted me for me, even if mom has."

"At least tell her then." Daphne replied. "I'm going to take a shower and get ready for work."

They both watched as Daphne headed into the bathroom and closed the door. Brian nuzzled into Justin's neck and inhaled, lightly biting at the blond. Justin squirmed in his lap but didn't move away. Brian bit harder before laving the bite with his tongue.

"Maybe we should move this to the bedroom before she comes out and catches us." Justin wiggled again, feeling Brian's hard on against his back. "Again."

Brian huffed, trying to stifle a laugh as Justin slid off his lap, grabbed Brian's hand and yanked th older man off the chair, dragging him towards Justin's room. Once inside Brian kicked the door closed and advanced on his blond.


	3. Chapter 3

"No."

"Brian..."

"No."

Justin huffed and turned the page in the magazine he was reading. Daphne had gotten him a bunch of books on male pregnancies, along with a baby name book, and shopping catalogs for baby supplies. Justin had found a really cute bassinet with a pink frill around the edges but Brian was being stubborn about ordering it. It had been three weeks since they had learned Justin was pregnant and Brian had asked him to move to Pittsburgh to live with him.

Over the three weeks Daphne had helped Justin pack and get everything shipped to Brian's - soon to be their - loft apartment. Brian had returned Thursday evening to attend Justin's Friday morning doctor's appointment with the blond. It was now Saturday evening and they were on their flight heading for Pittsburgh.

"Why not?"

"You keep picking things out like we're having a girl. We don't even know yet."

"I just have a feeling."

Brian snorted as he returned his attention back to the pregnancy book he was reading. It was interesting to learn everything doctor's had learned about male pregnancies over the years since it was discovered there was a gene in certain males that allowed them to concieve and carry a child.

At fourteen weeks along Justin was just into his fourth month. He was starting to show just a little now but it was so subtle unless you were really looking for it. They had gotten Justin's medical records from his doctor at his last appointment and had even set up an appointment for a week from now with a new doctor in Pittsburgh.

"Okay fine. We'll get the plain white bassinet you want. But I reserve the right to buy all the frilly dresses I want when we find out it's a girl."

Brian smirked. "Fine. But we are not naming her Clementine."

"Why not? It's a cute ass name!"

"It's a fucking fruit!" Brian caught motion out of the corner of his eye and turned his head to find the woman in the middle isle seat staring at them wide eyed. Her gaze went to the book in his hand and then back to him. She squeaked, her face flushing in embarrassment at being caught before turning to her own romance novel in hand. Brian rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the blond.

"We are not using any sort of fruit name for our kid."

Justin opened his mouth but Brian pointed at him and continued.

"Or colors. Don't think I didn't see Blue and Magenta on that stupid list you were making."

Justin huffed and sat back in his seat. "Fine. But I want a unique name. Not some common one like Emily or Sarah."

"What about Ethan?"

"For a girl?" Justin made a face in disgust. "I wouldn't even name my kid that if it were a boy."

"He may be a boy." Brian rolled his eyes.

"Maybe we'll have one of each?" Justin suggested. "I mean we've only had two ultrasounds. Who knows, maybe there is a baby hidden behind the one we know about. I've heard of that happening."

"Don't even fucking joke about that shit Sunshine." Brian looked like he was going to throw up. "One is enough."

Justin laughed. "What? You don't want our daughter to have a sibling or two?"

"First you're talking twins and now triplets! Stop. Just stop. One is enough for now. Not saying forever but one at a time please."

Justin just laughed harder.

"And stop calling the kid she. You're going to feel stupid if it turns out to be a boy."

Justin shrugged. "I don't want to call the baby 'It'."

"Then just say 'the baby'."

"Boring and impersonal."

Brian laughed. "Impersonal? The kid isn't even born yet!"

Instead of answering Justin just stuck his tongue out at the brunet, making Brian laugh harder. Then Justin rested his head on Brian's shoulder and closed his eyes. Brian closed the book he was reading and sat it on his lap before settling back more to get comfortable as Justin suddenly drifted off to sleep.

Once they landed it took two hours to go from the plane to the loft. They only had carry on bags with them so getting out of the airport was easier. All of Justin's things had arrived at the loft Tuesday morning and had been stored away until they returned to put it all away in their proper places.

When they reached the loft Justin started looking around, walking from spacious room to spacious room, a smile on his face. When he had reached the bedroom, Brian was sitting at the end of the bed, his legs stretched out over the floor, ankles crossed.

"It's a lot better then what you descriped."

"Details are lost in translation."

Justin nodded as he looked over at the corner in the 'dining room' where all his boxes of his things sat stacked. He wanted to go through it and start looking for his sketch pads and pencils but the bed looked super inviting with Brian lounging on it. Justin stepped up on the platform that surrounded the bed and sank down on his knees and then his side. He groaned as his head reached the pillow. He felt the bed shift as Brian moved up beside him. Justin closed his eyes as Brian laid nose to nose and groin to groin with him, an arm snaking over his hip.

"Welcome home." Brian whispered against his lips.

Justin smiled as he kept his eyes closed and practically shared breath with the brunet. "How long before people start showing up demanding to know were you've been?"

Brian snorted as he pulled Justin closer. "I give it until tomorrow afternoon. I told them I wouldn't be back until late morning tomorrow to give us time to get you settled in."

"Good. So we can nap, fuck, eat, fuck, unpack, and fuck." Justin nestled into Brian, wrapping his own arm around the older man. "In that order."

"Sounds good to me." Brian kissed the blond's forehead before settling down for the much needed nap he knew they both needed.

They did exactly that. Justin woke to Brian's mouth on his dick and it wasn't long before they were fucking for the first time in Brian's - now their - home. They were in the middle of the fucking phase between eating and unpacking when Brian heard the loft door slid open.

"Fuck!" Brian peaked around the closed glass panels that shadowed most of the bedroom from the rest of the loft to see Michael. He turned his attention back to Justin as he carefully pulled out of the blond and disposed of the condom. "Stay put." He told the blond as Justin wrapped himself in the sheet like a burrito in the middle of the bed.

Brian internally groaned as he slipped on a pair of jeans, not even bothering to do them up as he stepped down the stairs from the bedroom. "Mikey what the fuck are you doing here?"

"Brian!" Michael looked a little guilty as he looked over Brian's shoulder to try and peek into the bedroom. "I thought you weren't coming home until tomorrow?"

"I lied." Brian took a step to the right to block Michael's advances towards the bedroom and towards Justin. He wasn't ready to reveal the blond to his friends and family just yet. He wasn't ready for the million questions he knew would follow.

"Oh." Michael looked back at his best friend. "You want to go to Babylon then?"

"Kind of busy." Brian pushed on Michael's shoulderto get the shorter man turned around and headed back towards the door. "Why are you here when you thought I wasn't?"

"Just checking on the place. I do every time you're away since the robbery last year."

Brian rolled his eyes and kept his temper in check as he pushed Michael out the still open door. "Well you can clearly see everything is in order so you can go. Like I said. Busy. See ya Mikey," and he closed and locked the door.

He turned at the noise and found Justin wrapped in the bed sheets at the top of the stairs. "I thought I told you to stay put."

Justin shrugged. "So that was Michael."

Brian hummed as he headed for the fridge to get a beer. They were both up now, and not in the fun way, he figured they might as well get going on unpacking Justin's shit. Justin stepped down from the bedroom.

"Any way we can change the locks?" He asked as he smiled his thanks as Brian handed him a water. "It's a little disturbing to know he can just walk in at any moment."

Brian scrubbed a hand over his face and sighed. "Yeah. I'll get a locksmith out here first thing Monday."

Justin's eyes widened in surprise.

"What?"

"Nothing." Justin shook his head. "Just surprised you agreed so easily. I don't think you've agreed with something so fast unless I've offered my ass."

Brian huffed and then chuckled as he knew the blond was right. "Well I actually have something worth protecting that money can't replace." He stepped closer to the blond.

Justin beamed at him a sunshine smile that garnered his nickname from Brian.

Brian placed his hand over Justin's stomach. "Can't have anything happen to my son now can we?" Brian smirked, tongue in cheek.

Justin huffed and swatted at Brian, the sheet slipping from his shoulders and dropping to the ground. Brian's eyes roamed the younger man's body. Justin shivered as Brian growled, then squeaked as Brian picked him up, carefully, and carried him back to bed.


	4. Chapter 4

Justin had barely woken up with Brian had planted feather light kisses along his jaw, just enough to get the blond's attention and whisper in his ear to stay in bed, that Brian was just going to run down to the corner bakery for their breakfast. Justin had smiled and mumbled something Brian didn't catch before the blond nestled into the middle of the bed, tucking his head into Brian's pillow.

Five minutes later the bed had gotten cold without the brunet and Justin had found himself laying on his back and staring at the ceiling, wide awake. He had to pee but he still didn't want to move, though finally he did when he couldn't hold it anymore. With a groan he rolled to his side, moving to the side of the bed and standing up, running his hand over the bump of his stomach as he padded his way into the bathroom. He peed, washing his hands and face, and was just drying his face when he heard the loft door.

With a smile he exited the bathroom and headed for the living room. "Brian, I hope you got me a bear claw..." He looked up to find not Brian, but Michael standing in the middle of the loft and he was so happy he slept with sleeper pants on. "Oh."

"Who the fuck are you?" Michel hissed, taking a step closer to the blond. "Where's Brian?"

Justin headed for the kitchen to get himself something to drink. "He went to get breakfast for us." He grabbed a water from the fridge and turned back to the short dark haired man. "So you're Michael."

"How do you know that?"

"I'm Justin."

"Brian doesn't like when tricks overstay their welcome." Michael took another step towards him. "You should just leave now and save yourself the hassle of being thrown out when he comes back."

Justin arched a brow. "Why would he leave me here alone if I was a trick?" He took a swallow of water. "Besides, I just said he went to get us breakfast. As in him and I." Justin stepped around the island counter and bent down to pick up the sheet they had left on the floor the night before.

"You're the one he had here yesterday when I stopped by."

Justin hummed as he took the sheet back into the bedroom and into the bathroom where he dropped it into the hamper before returning back to the bedroom to strip the bed. Michael had followed him, stopping at the top of the stairs into the bedroom.

"What are you doing?"

Justin didn't even look at the older man. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm changing the sheets." He rolled his eyes as he headed back into the bathroom with the sheets from the bed and returned with fresh ones. "Is there something you needed from Brian or are you here this early to check on the place again?"

Michael crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm Brian's best friend. I'm just trying to look out for him. Who are you to go into Brian's fridge and take something or even act like you live here?"

Justin quickly finished and left the bedroom, again Michael following him. "Because I do as of yesterday? I'm Brian's boyfriend."

Michael scoffed. "Brian doesn't do boyfriends. He does tricks. He doesn't do anyone more then once."

"Well he does me." Justin shrugged as he turned back towards Michael, standing closer as Michael had stepped forwards again. "We've been seeing each other for the last year now."

"You're lying."

"Just ask Brian when he gets back."

"Who are you?"

"I've already told you. I'm Justin. Brian's boyfriend. I just moved from New York to live with him."

"Now I know you're really lying. Brian only goes to New York for work."

Justin laughed. "Every other weekend? Nobody is that much of a work-a-holic."

"Seriously, just tell me who the fuck you are. Are you stalking Brian?"

Justin shook his head and went to take a step around the other man when Michael grabbed his arm to stop him, shoving him back. Justin had been caught off guard and stumbled backwards, finding himself suddenly hitting his back against the island counter and falling to the floor, knocking over one of the stools in the process. He growled in pain as the leg of the stool cut across his side.

"Michael what the fuck!" Brian had entered just in time to watch Justin stumble backwards and fall. He placed the box of pastries on the counter and quickly rounded it to kneel in front of the blond. "Justin, are you okay?"

Justin nodded but his eyes were closed and he was breathing deeply through his nose. Brian ran his hands over his head, running them down his body as he checked for injuries; shocked when his left hand can up with blood and he quickly turned the blond to get a better look at his side.

"Shit Sunshine, you're bleeding." Brian stood and grabbed the dish towel that he had tossed onto the counter earlier, kneeling back down and pressing it into Justin's side to help stop the bleeding. Justin hissed in pain as he leaned his forehead against Brian's shoulder. "Sorry. I know it hurts. We gotta get you to the hospital and get you checked over. It doesn't look bad enough to need stitches at least."

Justin nodded. "Yeah. Okay."

"Brian...?"

"Not now Michael." Brian didn't even turn to look at his friend as he help Justin to his feet. "I'm going to get you a shirt and then we'll go." He turned, still ignoring Michael, and headed for the bedroom.

"Not anything white!" Justin yelled after him. "We'll never get the blood out!"

"I'm sorry."

Justin finally looked at the other man that had caused his pain and instantly knew the man wasn't fully sincere with his apology. "Yeah."

Brian returned and quickly helped Justin into a shirt, making sure to keep the dish towel over the wound as they headed out of the loft. Michael silently followed, locking and setting the alarm for Brian. When he turned to join them in the elevator, Brian already had the gate down and hit the button for the ground floor. Michael headed down the stairs, reaching them just as Brian and Justin were getting into Brian's jeep.

"Brian."

Brian shook his head and finally looked at his friend. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"I didn't mean too. I didn't know he was going to trip."

"That's no excuse to ever put your hands on him like that." Brian shook his head, rounded the jeep and got in, starting the car and speeding off, leaving Michael on the sidewalk.


End file.
